Helping Eighth-graders Take Next Step

PORTLAND — It's the time many eighth-graders dread the most: heading off to high school, land of older students, increasing peer pressures and work loads.

But Portland High and Middle school officials are hoping ``The Next Step,'' a program designed to ease the eighth- to ninth-grade transition, will help youngsters adjust.

The committee, made up of 11 parents, administrators, guidance counselors and high school and middle school students, met over the final few months of the school year.

The committee brainstormed about what it would like to see in an ideal transition situation, and came up with a yearlong plan to assist this year's eighth- and ninth-graders.

``We are hoping to establish a comfort level,'' middle school Principal Margaret Downey said recently. ``This is the missing link. This is a big change, not only for students, but also for parents.

``All of a sudden your child is driving to school with older students, going out at night, going to parties,'' she said. ``Parents also have an interest to keep their own peer group meeting. This is meant to be a working document where we keep updating and changing things.''

The program, presented to the board of education Tuesday night, calls for the plan to begin in the fall. In October, high school students would visit eighth-graders to stress the importance of eighth grade in preparing for high school.

In January, eighth-graders will write about what they would like to know about high school.

By February, high school students would return to answer the questions generated by the middle schoolers.

``It would be a focus on important skills that students need to be successful from peer relationships to healthful lifestyles to refusal skills,'' Downey said.

Sam Spencer, an eighth-grader heading up the hill to the high school and a member of the student council said students have a lot of concerns about the move. Spencer, along with fellow eighth-grader Brendan Conroy, represented the incoming freshmen on the committee.

``As leaders of our grade, we wanted to help alleviate some of their concerns,'' Sam said Wednesday. ``Most of us are not really nervous, it's more exciting for us. This is a new school with new opportunities and a fresh start.

``It's a lot like a big brother or big sister program, but here it's a senior helping a freshman adjust to life at the high school, not only academically, but socially,'' he said.

Ninth-grade programs will include students keeping journals about their experiences, an orientation program before the first day of school and developing an adviser/advisee program with teachers and fellow students.

Board of education member Richard Conroy is the parent of two sons, Patrick and Brendan. Patrick, a senior, will be helping his brother with the transition.

``It's a great idea and something I wish we had in place when Patrick was going to high school,'' he said. ``This is something that will help kids get over that big hump and transition phase. I know when Patrick made the move to high school he felt a little intimidated. This makes things easier and helps him ease into things.''